LORMAN &045; There’s only thing Alcorn football coaches have agreed on when it comes to filling that gaping hole at quarterback this spring.

Let the best man win.

While observers may have put the tag of successor to four-year starter Donald Carrie on the shoulders of Oliver Bozeman, coaches aren’t that quick to decide. Since the start of spring camp two weeks ago, the competition has been wide open with Bozeman, Charles Harrington and Milton Green vying for the spot.

Whoever gets is going to have to work the hardest to get it.

&uot;At this particular point we really don’t have anybody who has solidified the position,&uot; Alcorn head coach Johnny Thomas said. &uot;We’re trying to find a person who can work the offense, be a leader of the offense, take command of the offense and execute errorlessly in pressure situations.&uot;

Coaches came away from

last spring’s workouts and last season with high hopes for Bozeman, a speedy 6-2 red-shirt freshman who filled in the final game of the season for Carrie after the senior suffered a shoulder injury against Jackson State. That came after Carrie sat out the spring with a torn labrum, leaving Bozeman to take all the snaps with the first team.

Bozeman could be the most poised &045; he managed the offense in that win over Jackson &045; but is expected to be pushed by Green and Harrington. Green is a junior, while Harrington may have the strongest arm of the three.

&uot;This spring is really competitive between the three of us,&uot; said Bozeman, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native. &uot;It’s just like last year. Charles and Milton are really pushing me hard. It’s going to be a pretty good spring. Right now I really have a lot of confidence. I feel it’s going to be a pretty good season.&uot;

And a little competition is always healthy. The Braves even had competition at quarterback prior to Carrie’s junior season, and spring workouts are a time to evaluate every position to get things in order for when workouts begin in the fall.

The position may be a higher priority in place this spring following Carrie’s departure and with standout receivers Nate Hughes and Charlie Spiller remaining. Someone’s got to throw the ball to them because that’s going to be the offense’s main attack the next two seasons.

&uot;You’ve got to give everybody an opportunity to see what they can do,&uot; Thomas said. &uot;It’s just a situation where you give all your quarterbacks an opportunity to show what they can do, and then we’ll make a recommendation. Spring training is a time to do that.&uot;

The spring is also a good time for all three quarterbacks to work with Hughes and Spiller to get their timing down and get used to how each other plays. The relationship Carrie had with Hughes and Spiller was special &045; exactly 1,892 yards worth of connecting and bonding.

Spiller had 1,111 yards and wants to get on track with whoever the quarterback will be real quick.

&uot;We’re doing OK,&uot; the Woodville native said. &uot;We’ve been working all three quarterbacks. We’re trying to get better for the season, and we’ve got all summer to do that. I’d say we’re inexperienced right now, but we’re working hard. We’ll come out before practice, get our timing down and work on some things.&uot;

Bozeman played the majority of the Jackson State game and got in seven other games when the offense would start off with &uot;Showtime,&uot; usually specially designed play or series of plays to start the game. He threw 20 passes, completed nine and had one picked off, and he ran the ball 17 times for 130 yards &045; that’s 11.4 yards per carry.

Harrington, a freshman out of Charlotte, N.C., didn’t see any action last season. Green threw one pass all season &045; an interception against Alabama State.

&uot;The biggest thing we’re working on is timing,&uot; Bozeman said. &uot;Coming from last year to this year, me and Milton Green are left-handed. The wide receivers have to adjust to our passes. It’s got a different spin than from a right-hander. (Competition) is on the up and up. One day I might have a good day, and one day I might have a bad day. Milton might have a good day or have a bad day.&uot;

The arm strength issue is a concern. Spiller is such a threat going deep, while Hughes shined in the role of reception receiver with his yards after catch.

Carrie excelled in accuracy throwing the deep ball the last two seasons.

&uot;Bozeman is very elusive and very quick and can throw the football pretty good,&uot; Thomas said. &uot;Of the three, Harrington might have the strongest arm. Milton brings a lot of experience to the position, and he’s going to have to really step it up. (We need) arm strength to compensate the speed of Nate Hughes and Charlie Spiller. That’s going to be an issue.&uot;

Right now the timetable to identify a starter is anyone’s guess, and it may not be until fall camp opens in August. All three may get snaps in the spring game, set for 3 p.m. April 9 at Jack Spinks Stadium.

&uot;It’s not going to be that big (of a difference),&uot; Spiller said. &uot;They have strong arms, but it’s a lot different than Carrie. They can do the same things Donald Carrie can do. We’ve just got to work at it. He’s gone, and we’re moving on.&uot;